Football season for high school and college students typically starts in September, one of the hottest months of the year around the US. A recent study conducted at the University of Georgia found that the likelihood of heat-related injury in athletes increased exponentially during this time of year.

2 Times When the Risk of Sports Injuries Are the Highest

According to the study, researchers found that there were two times during training when athletes were at the highest risk for injuries. • Within the first 3 to 14 days of practice, but the rate was much higher during the first three days • On days seven and eight of pre-season training when athletes began practicing twice each day.

Seventy-four percent of the college athletes evaluated suffered from heat cramps, while 26 percent suffered from a combination of heat syncope (fainting) and heat exhaustion. The highest risk came when outdoor temperatures were greater than 82 degrees.

Chiropractors, as well as sports trainers, play an important role in preventing sports injuries during the summer training period. They can educate athletes on the importance of adequate hydration and rest. Additionally, they can demonstrate relaxation and flexibility techniques that can be used to relieve muscle spasms. When athletes and their sports medicine team, including chiropractors, work together they can prevent injuries and have a productive and healthy football season.

When a new trampoline park opens up, emergency rooms and pediatric centers nearby are sure to notice an increase in related injuries. The safety concerns of trampolines are no secret, accounting for over 100,000 injuries each year.1 These injuries can range from mild to severe, from sprains and bruises to life-threatening spine and neck injuries. There's even a recoil injury doctors are all-too-familiar with: it’s called a "trampoline fracture," which is a tibial fracture commonly caused by having more than one jumper on a trampoline at once.2 Bur recent research illustrates that trampoline parks create even more risk than their standalone counterparts. First, they are built to accommodate many jumpers, and although parks' rules dictate only one jumper per "section," these rules are often broken. The hard supports between sectioned components of the trampolines themselves pose a serious risk as well, and they are common culprits for high-impact injuries after a fall. At trampoline parks, jumpers are more likely to collide with others, more likely to sustain dislocations, and more likely to require hospital admission than jumpers on home trampolines.3 If a child is going to jump on a trampoline, practicing good safety skills like supervised, netted jumping with only one jumper at a time, as well as appropriately managing any injuries in the event of an accident, is the best way to keep safe them during these activities. And over half of injuries sustained from trampoline activities are soft tissue injuries,4 highlighting the importance of proper injury treatment and care. For non-life threatening spinal and soft tissue injuries, treatment by a doctor of chiropractic is an excellent, effective, and safe way to heal an injury, strengthen the body, and protect from re-injury.References: 1. http://www.livestrong.com/article/347980-statistics-on-trampoline-injuries/ 2. http://radiopaedia.org/articles/trampoline-fracture 3. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27482060 4. http://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/early/2016/07/28/injuryprev-2016-042071

There has been a debate over the years about whether bike helmets really do that much to prevent injuries. Advocates claim that wearing a helmet while riding a bike can save lives. Skeptics, however, don’t think that this type of protective gear does that much to prevent head injuries, let alone death. Recently, a study was conducted at the University of Arizona to determine just how effective helmet protection really was for riders.

3 Ways Bike Helmets Protect Riders

During the course of this study, over 6000 bike accident patients were evaluated. Researchers found that helmets did, in fact, protect riders in three important ways. Helmets protected riders from: 1. Severe Traumatic Brain Injures (TBIs) 2. Facial fractures 3. Death, even after a brain hemorrhage.

The Great Debate: The Numbers Prove That Helmets Are Beneficial

The figures gathered during this study are proof that helmets do a good job of protecting riders. For instance, wearing a helmet reduced the odds of severe traumatic brain injuries by over 50 percent. The likelihood of death after a bike accident was reduced by almost 45 percent in helmeted riders. And, these riders were over 30 percent less likely to experience facial fractures. While not all helmeted riders are going to avoid traumatic brain injuries after an accident, helmets can reduce the probability of severe injury and death. The numbers speak for themselves; helmets do much to protect the rider.

Chiropractors Can Be Strong Advocates for Rider Protection

Chiropractors are promoters of health and want to do all they can to help their patients live a happy, injury-free lifestyle. One of the ways they do this is by educating their patients on injury prevention, which includes the use of bike helmets.